As most people know by now, our planet and climate are suffering under the immense pressure we put them through. Constantly extracting oil, gas and precious metals, over-using water sources, polluting the air with toxic gases…the list goes on! All of this means that the climate and eco-system we live in could be thrown out of balance and create a vast range of problems for mankind.
How exactly do our actions correlate to harming the environment?
Although it’s fairly clear to see that our environment is deteriorating and that human actions are the largest contributing factor to this, it can sometimes be hard to understand exactly how our actions impact the world we live in. Why is taking the train better than driving? Why is eating meat environmentally unfriendly? Why is taking a hot shower worse than taking a cold one? Well, in this article, we’re going to find out!
Firstly, we know that taking large quantities of the earth’s natural resources is going to harm the future of the planet and prevent it from remaining as healthy as it could be. Of course, humans can’t survive without taking at least something from the planet, but we need to aim to limit this as much as we can.
For example: cutting and burning down thousands of acres of trees and rainforests reduces the earth’s ability to absorb Carbon Dioxide – not to mention it wipes out the habitat of thousands of animal species. Therefore, we know that we need to avoid the loss of rainforests and trees, in order to help keep CO2 levels low, which in turn prevents the planet from heating up too quickly.
Unbelievably, more than 200,000 acres of rainforest are burned every day. That is more than 150 acres lost every minute
rain-tree.com
The same can be applied to all natural materials; removing them from the earth creates an issue. That issue fuels the damage done to the planet, which harms our environment and makes it harder for us and animals to survive. Oil and gas extraction create huge CO2 and Methane emissions, both of which harm our environment in high quantities. The use of oil and gas also releases even more of these harmful substances into our atmosphere.
Using even more water than we need has the most direct impact on humans – wasting the small amount of fresh water this planet has creates shortages for people in places all over the world, especially those who live in dry climates. This either means people go without water, or more drilling and more transportation has be done to supply the water to those areas. Again, adding to the problems.
One last major area that causes our planet problems is our material usage – plastics, glass, metals and paper. Certain materials are worse than others, in that they require lots of energy to be produced or recycled and take thousands of years to break down. Plastic, for example takes around 1000 years to decompose once it’s been produced! The production of these materials is harmful and the disposal often even more so.
So which things we do have which consequences?
Travel
Which transport methods we use has a huge impact on the environment, and which we choose can make a big difference! Different fuels, different levels of fuel usage and passenger capacity all lead to certain methods being cleaner than others.
Diet
As you may already know, the way we eat has a massive impact on the planet. Not only does animal agriculture take up around 80% of all agricultural land in the world, but it also leads to unnecessary CO2 production. Lamb and beef, for example, produce 39.2kgs and 27kgs of CO2 per 1kg of meat. The production of 1kg of cheese produces 13.5kgs of CO2.
From this information it’s easy to see that cutting down on certain meats, and better yet all meats and dairy, helps to save a vast amount of CO2 emissions, which in turn would help to slow global warming and climate change.
Water Usage
Water is the single most important substance on Earth. Without it, no life can exist. It’s therefore crucial that we pay attention to the levels of water we’re using and wasting, so as to avoid a water shortage.
Although our planet is 71% water, only 0.3% of all water is usable to humans for growing crops and drinking. With an ever-growing population, we must make sure that we’re using the little water that we have, responsibly. Washing cars too often, taking frequent baths, and using washing machines and dishwashers too often, will all cause more water wastage that could easily be avoided. By paying more attention to water usage, we can prevent a serious shortage situation from arising.
Water is also crucial for plants and producing food – another way in which our overconsumption at home can negatively impact the environment and the world elsewhere.
Electricity Usage
Although the world is trying to switch everything to run off of electricity, it’s currently still a massive contributor to emissions. The main issue is how we currently produce electricity – mostly with coal and fossil fuel burning. The aim for the future is to innovate the methods of electricity production to renewable and clean methods such as wind and solar energy.
However, the way we use electricity still needs to change regardless – we need to stop overusing and wasting it, even if it becomes far cleaner in future. Using energy-saving appliances such as fridges, ovens and lights will really help to reduce the levels of electricity used per household. Switching appliances and lights off when they’re not in use is another great way to contribute, although it’s not going to help out as much as upgrading the devices themselves.
The way in which we live our lives has a huge impact on the planet, ultimately determining the health of it and the quality of life we are able to lead in the future. Without the majority of humanity becoming more sustainable and eco-conscious, the future of the Earth faces a vast array of threats. From a lack of water to survive from, to mass food shortages, to huge areas of land becoming inhabitable, all negative impacts will lead to a crisis for the entire population. Being more sustainable, consuming fewer resources and paying more attention to our environment will help us to overcome the challenge of climate change.